Rubber sidewalks and tree roots: what it can and cannot fix
Quick answer
Concrete sidewalks fail where tree roots lift a panel and leave a trip-hazard edge. Poured rubber is laid in one piece with some give, so movement underneath tends to show as a gentle curve rather than a step. It does not stop roots growing. The cause of the failure, the base, drainage and any arborist advice have to be settled before a surface goes over it.
Key takeaways
- Roots lift concrete panels, leaving an edge that is a trip hazard and gets ground down or replaced again and again.
- A continuous rubber surface with some give tends to rise as a curve when something moves underneath, not break into a step.
- It does not stop roots growing. An arborist and the installer still need to agree how the roots are dealt with.
- A new surface over an untreated cause will move again.
- Accessibility depends on width, gradient, cross-fall, firmness and transitions, so the installer confirms the specification for the site.
Poured rubber can make a root-lifted sidewalk safer to walk, but it does not stop the roots. It is laid as one continuous surface with some give in it, so when something moves underneath, the surface tends to rise as a gentle curve rather than break into a step. The cause of the failure still has to be dealt with first.
The problem
Concrete sidewalks fail in a predictable way. A mature tree grows, its roots lift a panel, the panel cracks and one edge stands proud of the next. That edge is a trip hazard, so it gets ground down, patched or replaced. A few seasons later the same panel does the same thing, and whoever owns the path pays for the same stretch over and over.
What a continuous surface changes
Jointed concrete breaks along its joints and cracks. Poured rubber has no joints between panels. It is laid in one piece with some give, so movement underneath tends to show up as a bump with a slope rather than a lip. That is the case for using it on awkward stretches. It is a different failure behavior, not a cure.
What it does not do
It does not stop roots growing. Roots still need dealing with properly, with an arborist involved where the tree matters. A new surface over an untreated root problem will move again. If the tree is part of the reason for the job, agree with the installer and the arborist who decides what happens to the roots before the surface is specified.
Check the route before you price the job
Settle these with the installer first.
- What is there now, and why did it fail? Roots, settlement, a weak sub-base and water all leave different evidence.
- How wide, how long and how steep? Width, gradient and cross-fall all bear on accessibility requirements as well as on the finish.
- Where does water go? The surface is porous. The base underneath still has to carry water away, and the run-off has to go somewhere sensible.
- How does it meet everything else? Curbs, crossings, driveways, drains, covers, thresholds and the next panel of concrete each need a detail agreed in advance.
- What has to stay open? Curing time decides how long a stretch is closed. That matters most on a campus, in a park or outside a business.
The base checks are the same ones in is your concrete ready for rubber?.
Accessibility
A continuous surface with no lips between panels is easier to roll a wheelchair or a stroller over than jointed paving. Whether a particular walkway meets the accessibility rules for your site depends on its width, gradient, cross-fall, surface firmness and the transitions at each end. Ask the installer to confirm the specification against the requirements for the project. Resin Rubber does not certify that a walkway meets any accessibility standard.
Color
Public walkways usually want to look like part of the landscape. Stone blends such as Concrete, Ash, Light Grey and Frost sit quietly beside paving. Earth blends such as Dakota, Sahara and Mesa suit park routes and planting. Lighter shades stay cooler in direct sun, and darker ones hide grit and staining for longer between cleans. Request a physical sample and look at it on site against the existing paving. See solid or mixed color EPDM granules and color options.
Repairs later
A damaged section can be cut out and re-poured in place. Keep the blend details from the original order so the repair matches. See repairing and extending a rubber surface.
Next step
Read the rubber sidewalk surfacing page. Then share the location, the length of the run, photos of the lifted sections and whether trees are involved, and request an approved installer. Contractors and municipalities sourcing materials can contact the materials team.
Frequently asked questions
Why use it where tree roots lift the concrete?
A poured surface is laid in one piece and has some give, so a root heaving underneath tends to lift it as a curve rather than break it into a step. It is not a way of stopping roots growing: an arborist and your installer still need to agree how the roots are dealt with, and a surface over an untreated root problem will move again.
What base does it need?
It is laid over a prepared base, usually existing concrete, asphalt or a compacted aggregate base, which has to be sound, stable and draining. Where a panel has already failed, the repair to the base comes first.
Does it drain?
A poured rubber surface is porous, so water passes through it rather than sitting on top, provided the base underneath takes the water away. Drainage still has to be designed for the site.
Does Resin Rubber install sidewalks?
No. Resin Rubber supplies the granules, binders and tools to contractors and dealers. Municipalities and campuses usually go through a contractor, and the team can check whether an approved installer covers your area.
